Drop Dead Fred-x-Reader: It's all in my Head
by Fanfictionlover0724
Summary: Like some kids, you had family issues and an imaginary friend...he was crazy, crazy enough that you wanted to share him with people but didn't know how, except to wish really hard. Until time creates a disconnection and you're reuntied with him years later...you've changed, he hasn't changed much...but he's been hurt before the same way...abandonment by his kid. See where this craz
1. The Birthday Present

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Happy Birthday, your father picked it out for me since I can't leave the hospital. I hope you like it." Your mother said weakly as she handed you an old Jack-in-the-box. It was kinda dusty and there was some tape wrapped around it, the top of the tape had been broken like a seal./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Thanks, mommy. I love it." You said bittersweetly turning the dingy metal box in your hands curiously. Your dad stood behind you resting his hands on your shoulders and rubbing them lightly, you looked up at him with an inbetween smile on your face. You were happy to get a birthday present, but sad about how they got it./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Your mother had been in and out of the hospital ever since you were born, you were the youngest of 3 kids, and older sister and brother who never had to be without your mom for as long as you have. Ever since she went into the hospital the bills had been behind and so had money in general, so they must have talked and saved a small amount for this little toy,/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Mommy and I talked, I told her about the yardsale down the street at Mr and Mrs. Bunce's house. Mickey's daughter Natalie had gone to college and they were selling some old toys. I found this and, well...bought it for your birthday. Mommy even liked it and wanted us to give it to you together, that's why we came to visit her today." He smiled lightly as he lowered his head to yours, still rubbing your shoulders./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I wanted you to have a friend, and well…" She looked to your father with a smile, "You'll see when you open it at home."/p 


	2. Opening Up

The drive from the hospital was quiet as you inspected the box more, it seemed like an ordinary box from the outside…'what was the **BIG** surprise?' you thought to yourself as you sat in the passenger seat of your dads beat-up car. He pulled up into the driveway and unbuckled your seatbelt and you got the door on your own, sliding your feet to dangle over the asphalt and plop them down to stand up. When your dad unlocked the front door you bolted up the stairs to your room, but before fully plowing your front door down you stopped to say hi to your older siblings as you passed their rooms,

"Sissy, look what mommy and daddy got me for my birthday!" You beamed as you lingered in her doorway, she was laying at the foot of her bed with her phone, it wasn't a cool, new phone but one that was useable.

She glanced your way with a sheepish smile, "It's cute, what is it?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm to make you go away faster, she was trying to get some of her friends to pay for a movie ticket for a new movie she wanted to see, but they were tired of not being paid back or having the favor returned...due to your families money problems.

"It's a jack-in-the-box, mommy and daddy picked it for me from Mr. and Mrs. Bunce's house! Mommy said there was a surprise in it, but I wanted to wait till I was home to show you and big bro what it looked like on the outside first." Your smile just got wider and you giggled.

"You don't know what a jack-in-the-box is...do you?" Her expression turned to one of slight annoyance, but you were to happy and innocent to notice.

"I know what they do...I guess this one must be special if mommy and daddy picked it for me." You turned it in your hands again like you did in the hospital room, still wondering what that " _ **special"**_ something was.

Your sister scoffed at that comment and then went back to her mission for a movie ticket, "Ok, well you go and enjoy your " _ **special"**_ jack-in-the-box." She waved you off with her eyes still glued to her phone.

You sighed with defeat, at least she had paid you even the slightest bit of attention today...she didn't like to be home much anymore.

You continued your mission towards your room, and passing your older brothers room did the same thing you did when you passed your sister's room...except your brother just asked if he could see your gift with a straight face and then looking at it with a sad expression mostly from a lack of gifts from mom and dad when he was the only child, they still didn't have financial luck...even back then. He hands it back with a quiet smile and then tuffles your hair and sends you on to your room.

Taking your mission more seriously now that you were alone in the solace of your room, you closed the door and sat on your bed with the jack-in-the-box resting at the foot of your bed...finding yourself unable to turn the little dirty red knob on the end of the bent metal rod sticking out from the side of the box. You lay like your sister was and quietly contemplate just savoring the physical existence of the metal box or just going all gung-ho to turn the knob and hear whatever musical tune was put in the box and let whatever surprise was waiting for you out.

You sigh, close your eyes and slowly reach for the handle...when all of a sudden before your fingers start to brush the knob, it starts turning and playing its musical tune...all...by...itself.

This was it...time to meet your new friend.


	3. Meeting Fred

The lid popped open with an unbelievable sense of urgency as if it had things to do. A little poofball came out of the box and hit the walls and ceiling with a magical green glow then landed on your floor with a quiet 'pomf'. You bolted under your covers as if a bullet was fired from a gun, it was quiet under your protective shield...or at least it was until you heard,

"HELLO!? IS ANYONE THERE!?" A loud voice sounded from outside your blanket shell, but you stayed silent. A shadow moved in front of you looking through things with frantic movements.

"OOH! THERE'S A LOT OF WEIRD TOYS IN 'ERE...SO-oooooo, where's the little Runt that brought me out?" The voice quieted down after seeing disappointing results at your lack of toys due to your family's financial status. You still decided to stay hidden until it seemed safe, which you weren't sure when that would be. You're breathing was surprisingly quiet which couldn't have been said about your loud, strange, and unseen guest...you were surprised your dad, brother, or sister hadn't rushed in to your rescue, that is if the other two even cared enough. It was all too late before you realized the stifling silence that surrounded your room, thinking it was safe to come out you slowly pulled the blanket from over your head...you were wrong.

"SO THAT'S WHERE YOU WERE HIDING!" A pair of vibrant pale blue eyes met your scared (e/c) ones as you were pounced on by a man with wild orange hair, that when the sunlight hit it through the window it looked like fire.

"AHHHH!" You screamed and rolled off your bed like a tumbleweed, except you were a bundle of blankets instead.

"So, you're the one who opened my box...wait, where's Natalie?" He questioned with a whine while hopping off your bed with his big red shoes thudding on the floor.

"I don't know where she is, but my n-name's (your name)." You stuttered only a little out of shock, finally being able to see where that loud and obnoxious voice had come from. You managed to get out of your entanglement alive, but wasn't sure how long that would last if this strange man didn't do anything first.

"Well, I guess you must be the best I've got until she takes me back again." He snoffed into the air with an attitude.

"I um-don't think she'll be back anytime soon...I think she grew up." You admitted, you kinda knew that had been the case but didn't know how well this man would take that, as crazy as he seemed to be.

"Grew up!? WHY DOES THAT ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME!?" He groaned as he started rummaging through your room again.

"I didn't know...I just got you today, or well I got your box anyway, for my birthday from my mom and dad." You stood up and bundled your blankets then put them back on the bed that way not caring for orderliness right now.

He sighed in defeat, "Well, I guess I better introduce myself since you introduced yourself to me… *ahem*. He cleared his throat loudly, "I am Drop Dead Fred, and I guess I am your new Imaginary Friend." He put out his hand for you to shake it, you did of course after a brief moment of hesitation when you heard you dad call up from downstairs to see if everything was alright since you screamed to which you responded yes. Which of course began the most wonderful of friendships you had ever had in your life...until something to do with money gets in the way.


End file.
